7 Examples of How the Playstation 4 Dominates the XBox One

Greetings gamers! As of November 15, 2013, the next generation of consoles transitioned to current gen and things couldn’t be more exciting. For the first time since (Xbox360/PS3 release year) that the rivalry between XBox and Playstation fans has actually mattered. As the last generation systems aged, and the available games for each expanded, the argument of which system was better mattered less and less. This year however, is another thing entirely. The hardware differences between the consoles has become so marginal that deciding a clear victor in the, ‘who’s best’ race is neigh impossible. In an attempt to help those who hadn’t yet picked a camp to support, we posted a list showcasing why the XBox One could be considered better than the PS4. Now that both are available for purchase, I figured it was time to post the opposite POV and give Sony their time to shine by providing you with a list detailing how the PS4 dominates the Xbox One.

1. Price

I have no problem admitting it, the first thing I check when comparing products is the price. Especially when said products are so similar. It often provides a scope of the quality of hardware utilized within while giving you an idea of how much faith the manufacturer has in the longevity of the product. Somehow Sony is selling their console for $100 cheaper than the XB1. What explains the price difference? Is Sony simply willing to take more of an initial earning loss to ensure market dominance, or is Microsoft simply price gouging their supporters? I have no idea. What I do know, however, is that they both come with a camera device, a system and a controller and one costs significantly more than the other. Sony easily wins the price battle.

2. The Controller

I can’t argue the fact that this one is based solely on preference. Some like the feel of the XB controller more than Sony’s, I am not one of those people. Sony’s controller shape has always felt more comfortable in my hands than any other systems. Admittedly, I have a deep aversion to thumb sticks, but that issue transfers to both systems. I won’t go into detail over the rage I felt from being repeatedly killed while spinning in circles during my first few attempts at HALO. While I’m not entirely sure how the new touchpad is being utilized other than the fact that it “offers gamers completely new ways to play and interact with games”, it still gets me excited. Add to that the inclusion of a built in speaker and a headphone jack and you begin to wonder if MS is really even trying to win this thing.

3. Geared Specifically Towards Gamers

Where the XB1 is intended to act as a home entertainment system that games remarkably well, Sony instead chose to focus their resources developing a system that places graphics rendering above other content. Yes, the PS4 still provides access to streaming services like Hulu and Netflix, but they’re added features that don’t hinder the system’s resources. While Microsoft is attempting to appeal to a wider demographic than just gamers with the XB1, Sony’s primary concern with the PS4 is to attract the hardcore gamer who will only fire up Netflix after his/her thumbs and eyes are too tired to keep playing any longer.

4. Companion Devices (Ps Vita & Ps Vita TV)

If you’re a PC gamer you’ve probably heard of NVidia’s Shield device, if not, find out more here. When it was announced it brought much celebration which was followed by a wide array of questions regarding its abilities. Now that more info has been realized, we know that it fills a void that has existed in gaming since…well, since mobile phones gained the ability to play games like Boost and Infinity Blade. Well, Sony’s got their number and is seeking to fill that very same void in the console market through the use of the PS Vita. With a PS4 connected to the internet and a PSVita, you can now play your Playstation games while on the go. This isn’t one of those half features that will let you take your game ‘wherever you like’ as long as you’re connected to the same router. Oh, no. With this, you can literally take your vita to work and play while you’re on your lunchbreak. Smooth Sony, smooth.

5. Exclusive Game List

Have you seen the list of exclusives that Sony’s got this time around? Nevermind, it doesn’t matter, I’m going to list a few off here anyway. Driveclub, Infamous: Second Son, Shadow of the Beast and Uncharted 4. Yeah, I’m all about it. Especially when you consider that these are only the first exclusives on the market. Who’s to say what will be coming out exclusively for the PS4 next year? I’m honestly a bit afraid of owning a PS4 because I still want to live my life like a productive person. With a library like that, I don’t think I’d see the sky for at least a month.

So let’s take a look at this shall we? If you’re reading this, you likely have a home internet connection that you pay for. It enables you to access sites and services such as GadgetReview, Netflix, Google and so much more. That monthly fee is probably somewhere around $50+/mo. Your PC doesn’t require you to send $ to Microsoft or Apple in order to access said sites, right? So please tell me why and how Microsoft came to the conclusion that it’s ok to charge Xbox users to be able to access sites over a network they’re already paying for? Unlike the XB1, which requires an active Gold subscription to access streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, Sony wisely opted not to force their users into a monthly subscription that they don’t need. In addition to all this, the PS4 doesn’t require a paid subscription to access multiplayer options. Case in point, GTA Online. When first I tried accessing GTA Online on an Xbox, I was frustrated to find out that I had to jump on Amazon to purchase a Gold subscription card before I could impatiently wait to connect to an active server like the rest of the world. days later, I headed over to a friend’s house (with a Playstation) and watched in balked silence as he accessed GTA Online almost immediately after unwrapping his GTA V game disk from its vacuum sealed packaging without needing to pay more than the price of the game.

Edit: Sony does in fact require a PSN Subscription to utilize multiplayer features on the PS4, but has provided a solid and sound reason for doing so, stating:

“Considering the cost, to try and keep such a service free and consequently lower the quality would be absurd. We decided if that’s the case, then it would be better to receive proper payment and continue to offer a good service.”

However, Streaming and Social Media services can still be accessed on the PS4 without the cost of a subscription. In addition, Sony has stated that a single Playstation Plus account will be applicable to all hardware platforms, (PS Vita, PS3, PS4)

7. RAM

This one right here is the closer. Yeah, it fits in with #3, but I kept it separate for one very big reason. The GDDR5 is batsh*t amazing. The PS4’s GDDR5 RAM, shared by both the GPU and CPU has a bandwidth peak of 176 GB/s, that’s incredible, from any standpoint. It’s also got the capability to allocate any amount of the available 8GB of memory to any task at any given time. The choice to use GDDR5 was a great one on Sony’s part, the multitasking capabilities now available to the PS4 are astonishing. With GDDR5, the PS4 has the ability to process graphics, physics, sound, the built-in DVR, and the user interface all at the same time, and at blindingly fast speeds. Based on earlier expectations of the system, Sony definitely over delivered and has truly released a breakthrough in gaming consoles.

With all the things I’ve covered above, it’s clear that the PS4 is the superior gaming device in comparison to the XB1. While the XB1 has its strengths, they still fall short of what Sony offers their customers. It’s quite remarkable, considering the similar hardware contained in both systems, that Sony was able to produce such a blatantly obvious winner in the console wars this time around, South Park episodes notwithstanding. So Sony, if you’re reading this, you’ve got my vote when it comes to Consoles for the foreseeable future. Microsoft, we’re still pals, but I prefer you on my desk/laptops and Slates. The jury’s still out on your phones though.